Building an Electronic Records Archive at the National Archives and Records Administration Recommendations for Initial Development (2003) / Chapter Skim
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Appendix A: Background on NARA and the ERA Program
Appendix A: Background on NARA and the ERA Program
Pages 71-79
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Appendixes
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Since that time, NARA has used that strategy to accession, preserve, and provide access to a significant number of highly structured electronic records. This strategy calls for the storage of data in a software and hardware-independent format (typically fixed length or delimited files in a standard character set, such as the American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII)
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"What Is The National Archives & Records Administration? " Available online at |
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Government records. The records we preserve and make available every day directly affect the lives of millions of our citizens as well as the understanding we have of our nation's history.3 NARA's Responsibilities NARA is responsible for issuing records management guidance; working with agencies to implement effective controls over the creation, maintenance, and use of records in the conduct of agency business; providing oversight of agencies' records management programs; and providing storage facilities for certain temporary agency records.
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NARA is a public trust which plays a key role in fostering effective and responsible government through management of the lifecycle of records in all three branches of the Federal Government and through sustained access to historically valuable records in the National Archives and the Presidential Libraries. These records enable people to inspect what the Government has done, allow officials and agencies to review their actions, and help citizens hold the Government accountable.
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Moreover, ERA's technology promises to be useful to many kinds of archives, libraries, agencies, and businesses, regardless of size. ERA will preserve essential evidence and make it more accessible in every sector of society.7 From NARA's "ERA Vision Statement,' ERA will authentically preserve and provide access to any kind of electronic record, free from dependency on any specific hardware or software, enabling NARA to carry out its mission into the future.
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In addition to handling the actual records, ERA also will automate electronic records life cycle management activities. ERA, when operational, will make it easy for NARA customers to find records they want, and easy for NARA to deliver those records in formats suited to customers' needs.
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Since that time, NARA has used that strategy to accession, preserve, and provide access to a significant number of highly structured electronic records. This strategy calls for the storage of data in a software and hardware-independent format (typically fixed length or delimited files in a standard character set, such as the American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII)
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Section 8.1, Disadvantages and Limitations Potential disadvantages or limitations to ERA include: · High development costs · High costs associated with security · NARA staff anxiety brought about by new responsibilities resulting from changes due to electronic records · Poor NARA staff morale without proactive change management · Impact on originating entities (resources required to prepare for transfer of materials to NARA, greater records management responsibilities) · User misunderstanding of ERA's relation to the universe of NARA's holdings Section 8.2, Summary of Benefits and Advantages ERA will offer numerous benefits to NARA and record users including: · The preservation of electronic records that would otherwise be lost · A wider variety of electronic records in NARA holdings · Consolidated electronic records administration and streamlined internal work flow · More front end involvement with originating entities · Higher quality accessioned electronic records · New tools to support processing and review of electronic records Tools to aid in review decisions Tools for withdrawal and redaction Tools for description.
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